| The Muppet Christmas Carol | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster byDrew Struzan | |
| Directed by | Brian Henson |
| Screenplay by | Jerry Juhl |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John Fenner |
| Edited by | Michael Jablow |
| Music by | Miles Goodman |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures Distribution[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 86 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States[3] |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $12 million |
| Box office | $27.2 million[4] |
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 AmericanChristmasmusical film produced and directed byBrian Henson (in his featuredirectorial debut). It is the fourth theatrical film featuringthe Muppets. Adapted from the 1843 novellaA Christmas Carol byCharles Dickens with a screenplay written byJerry Juhl, the film takes artistic license to suit the aesthetic of the Muppets, but follows Dickens' original story closely. It is the first Muppet film where a human is the main protagonist.[5]
The film starsMichael Caine asEbenezer Scrooge alongside Muppet performersDave Goelz,Steve Whitmire,Jerry Nelson, andFrank Oz. It is the first Muppet film to be produced following the deaths of creatorJim Henson and performerRichard Hunt; the film is dedicated to both.
The film was released in the United States on December 11, 1992, byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution under itsWalt Disney Pictures label. It was a modest box office success and received generally favorable reviews. It is the first Muppets film to be produced by Disney, whoseparent company would later acquire the rights to theMuppets characters and assets in 2004. The film's reputation has grown in the years since its release, and it is often listed as one of the bestChristmas films of all-time.
Charles Dickens (Gonzo) and his friendRizzonarrate the story ofEbenezer Scrooge, a greedy, rude, penny-pinching and lonely moneylender of nineteenth centuryLondon, who does not share the merriment of Christmas. OnChristmas Eve, he rejects his nephew Fred's invitation to Christmas dinner, dismisses two gentlemen (Bunsen Honeydew andBeaker) collecting money for charity, and hurls a wreath at a carol-singingBean Bunny. His kind, humble employeeBob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and the other bookkeepers request to not work on Christmas Day, since there will be no business for Scrooge on the day, to which he reluctantly agrees. That night, Scrooge encounters the shackled ghosts of his late business partners,Jacob and Robert Marley (Statler and Waldorf), in his bed chambers. They warn him to repent of his wicked ways, or be condemned to wearing chains and to suffer in the afterlife as they do. They also say three spirits will visit him during the night.
At one o'clock, Scrooge is visited by the childlikeGhost of Christmas Past, who shows him visions of his childhood and early adult life. Along with Dickens and Rizzo, they visit his lonely school days and then his time as an employee atFozziwig's (Fozzie Bear)rubber chicken factory. There, at Fozziwig's Christmas party, Scrooge meets a young woman named Belle, with whom he falls in love but loses as he chooses money over her. A despondent Scrooge tells the Ghost to leave him and is returned to his home.
Scrooge next meets the gigantic, merryGhost of Christmas Present, who shows him the joys and wonder of Christmas Day. Scrooge and the Ghost visit Fred's house, where Scrooge is made fun of for his stinginess and general ill will toward all. Scrooge and the spirit then visit Bob Cratchit's house, learning his family is content with the little they have. Scrooge also takes pity on Bob's ill sonTiny Tim (Robin the Frog), whom the Ghost comments will soon die if things continue the way they are.
The Ghost leaves Scrooge to theGhost of Christmas Yet to Come, who takes Scrooge into the future where a recent death elicits no sympathy from the inhabitants of London, and the stolen possessions of the deceased are sold to afence named Old Joe. The Ghost also shows Scrooge the Cratchits' home, where they find Bob and his family mourning the death of Tiny Tim. Scrooge is led to the cemetery, where the Ghost points out the neglected grave of the unloved man; Scrooge wipes the snow away on the tombstone to see that it bears his name. Scrooge tearfully vows to change his ways and suddenly finds himself back in his bedroom, where he discovers it is Christmas Day.
An overjoyed Scrooge begins spreading happiness and joy around London, agreeing to give money to the gentlemen's charity and reconciling with Fred and Fozziwig. Scrooge tells Bean to buy the poulterer's prized turkey, and they, along with Dickens, Rizzo, and the gentlemen, deliver it to Bob's family. Scrooge announces to Bob that he will raise his salary and pay off his mortgage, Dickens tells that Tiny Tim escaped death thanks to Scrooge's new generosity, and everyone celebrates Christmas together.
| Performer | Muppet character | A Christmas Carol character |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Goelz | The Great Gonzo | Charles Dickens (Narrator) |
| Waldorf | Robert Marley | |
| Dr. Bunsen Honeydew | Charity collector | |
| Zoot | Fozziwig party entertainer | |
| Whatnots | Background characters | |
| Original | Betina Cratchit | |
| Pigs | ||
| Richmond the Horse | ||
| Steve Whitmire | Rizzo the Rat | Co-narrator |
| Kermit the Frog | Bob Cratchit | |
| Beaker | Charity collector | |
| Bean Bunny | Boy | |
| Lips | Fozziwig party entertainer | |
| Original | Belinda Cratchit | |
| Stage puppeteer | ||
| Pigs | ||
| Laundress | ||
| Frank Oz | Miss Piggy | Emily Cratchit |
| Fozzie Bear | Fozziwig | |
| Sam Eagle | Schoolmaster | |
| George the Janitor | Himself | |
| Animal | Fozziwig party entertainer | |
| Original | Vegetable seller | |
| Mr. Bitte | ||
| Jerry Nelson | Robin the Frog | Tiny Tim Cratchit |
| Lew Zealand | Himself | |
| Statler | Jacob Marley | |
| Ma Bear | Ma Fozziwig | |
| Floyd Pepper | Fozziwig party entertainer | |
| Dr. Julius Strangepork | Fred's guest | |
| Pops | Background characters | |
| Inkspot | ||
| Droop | ||
| Frackle | ||
| Original | Ghost of Christmas Present (face and voice performance) | |
| Bookkeeper rat | ||
| Pigs | ||
| Crocodile | ||
| Mr. Applegate | ||
| Mouse | ||
| David Rudman | Original | Peter Cratchit |
| Old Joe (puppeteer only) | ||
| Beggar | ||
| The Swedish Chef | Fozziwig party cook | |
| Wander McMooch | Fred's guest | |
| Louise Gold | Original | Mrs. Dilber |
| Cockney Woman | ||
| Brool | Fred's guest | |
| Karen Prell | Original | Ghost of Christmas Past (puppeteer only) |
| Daughter mouse | ||
| Aretha | Singer in "Scrooge" number | |
| Rob Tygner | Originals | Ghost of Christmas Past (puppeteer only) |
| Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (puppeteer only) | ||
| William Todd Jones | Original | Ghost of Christmas Past (puppeteer only) |
| Donald Austen | Originals | Ghost of Christmas Present (in-suit performer) |
| Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (in-suit performer) | ||
| Mike Quinn | Original | Undertaker |
| Pig | ||
| Jessica Fox | Originals | Ghost of Christmas Past (voice only) |
| David Shaw Parker | Old Joe (voice only) |
FollowingJim Henson's death in May 1990, thetalent agent Bill Haber approached Henson's sonBrian, with the idea of filming an adaptation. Haber told Henson that "Christmas Carol is the greatest story of all time, you should do that" and later informed Henson that he had sold the idea toABC as atelevision film.[6] The longtime Muppets writerJerry Juhl was hired to write the script and decided to insertCharles Dickens (portrayed byGonzo) as the stand-in narrator in order to remain faithful to the original prose of the written material.[7] Henson stated that Gonzo was chosen because he was the least likely choice to play Dickens,[8] whileRizzo the Rat was added to inject some humor and serve as aGreek chorus.[9] Established Muppet characters were initially written to portray the ghosts, with various accounts statingRobin the Frog orScooter was to be theGhost of Christmas Past,Miss Piggy to be theGhost of Christmas Present, and Gonzo (before he was written to portray Dickens) orAnimal as theGhost of Christmas Yet to Come.[6][8] However, the idea was scrapped in favor of new Muppet characters that would better underline the ghosts' ominous nature.[9] After the script was submitted for approval to ABC, the executives ofWalt Disney Pictures offered to purchase the script for a feature film instead of a television release.[8]
The English actorsDavid Hemmings,Ron Moody, andDavid Warner and the American comedianGeorge Carlin were considered to portray Ebenezer Scrooge.[10] Henson later offered the role toMichael Caine, who replied: "I'm going to play this movie like I'm working with theRoyal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role and there are no puppets around me."[6] He took inspiration for the role from "Wall Street cheats and embezzlers; I thought they represented a very good picture of meanness and greed."[11]
Production took place at theShepperton Studios, England.[12] During filming, in order to allow for the Muppets and the human actors to be in the shot, floors had to be removed and re-inserted, with Michael Caine having to walk across narrow planks between the Muppets and their performers.[13] Additionally, the buildings in the London street scenes were constructed by hand butdiminished in size in order to achieve the appearance that the streets were relatively longer. When the musical sequence "It Feels Like Christmas" ends with acrane shot, the short buildings became apparent in the background; Brian Henson explained on the DVDaudio commentary that they were aware of the problem during shooting, but eventually decided that the closing shot was worth it as they believed not many people would notice the error.[13]
Walt Disney Pictures appeared to have high expectations for the film, being their widest-released film of the holiday season and the second-widest release under the Disney banner that year.[14] However, the film opened in sixth place, initially reported to have collected $5.9 million in box office estimates,[15] which was later revised to $5 million.[16] Ultimately,The Muppet Christmas Carol grossed a total of $27.3 million in North America.[4] Despite being a modest box office success,The Muppet Christmas Carol did not have a large effect during its theatrical release, having to face competition fromHome Alone 2: Lost in New York and Disney's ownAladdin.
OnRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 77% based on 56 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's consensus states, "It may not be the finest version of Charles Dickens' tale to grace the screen, butThe Muppet Christmas Carol is funny and heartwarming, and serves as a good introduction to the story for young viewers."[18] OnMetacritic, the film has a score of 64 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[20]
Janet Maslin, reviewing forThe New York Times, said that there wasn't "great show of wit or tunefulness here, and the ingenious cross-generational touches are fairly rare. But thereis a lively kiddie version of the Dickens tale, one that very young viewers ought to understand."[21] Kathleen Carroll of theNew York Daily News gave it three and a half stars, calling it "a delightfully imaginative musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale" and noting that "it's a measure of Michael Caine's talents as an actor that he's able to give a straight-faced, remarkably convincing performance as the notorious tightwad Ebenezer Scrooge while surrounded by pint-sized veteran scene-stealers", though she did write that "the songs by Paul Williams tend to sound exactly alike."[22]
Peter Rainer of theLos Angeles Times said that "die-hard Muppet fans may get a boost from the film but Dickens lovers will fare less well. Somewhere along the way—'round about the Ghost of Christmas Past stuff—the magic has fallen out of the story. The treacly score byMiles Goodman, with songs byPaul Williams, doesn't help. The Muppets are at their best when they're anarchic, without all this soggy whimsy."[23]Norman Wilner ofThe Toronto Star, in contrast, called the film "one of the most loyal renderings of Dickens", writing that "Caine, who has always been able to fully become the characters he plays, delivers an unexpectedly strong performance as a human being who plays every scene with hand puppets [and] makes us believe he's been relating to the little fuzzies all his life"; however, he had a mixed review of Williams' songs in the film, and was particularly critical of its closing number.[24]
TheChicago Sun-Times film criticRoger Ebert, who gave the film three stars out of four, praised the technical achievements, but felt it "could have done with a few more songs than it has, and the merrymaking at the end might have been carried on a little longer, just to offset the gloom of most of Scrooge's tour through his lifetime spent spreading misery."[25] On the television programSiskel & Ebert, his partnerChicago Tribune film criticGene Siskel, who did not review the film in print, gave the film a Thumbs Down although he was favorable towards Michael Caine's performance.[26] Also from theChicago Tribune,Dave Kehr reviewed the film as "a talky, plodding film that seems likely to bore children and adults in equal measure." Nevertheless, Kehr praised Val Strazovec's production design and John Fenner's cinematography believing its "shadowy, naturalistic lighting creates a new look for a puppet film," but derided Paul Williams's songs as unmemorable.[27]
Likewise,Variety praised the production design and criticized Williams's songs, writingMuppets Christmas Carol is "not as enchanting or amusing as the previous entries in the Muppet series. But nothing can really diminish the lateJim Henson's irresistibly appealing characters."[28] Giving the film three stars out of five, Almar Haflidason of theBBC wrote the film is "liberal but fun adaptation of a classic" that "turns out to be quite touching as Muppet movies go. Less pleasing are the forgettable songs that offer both clumsy word construction and dire music that eats away at the aesthetic quality of the movie. But you'll be too busy looking out for the assorted Muppets to care much."[29]
In London, theEvening Standard'sAlexander Walker said that "the Muppets pass their first screen test playing characters other than their felt or furry selves with great exuberance."[30]Derek Malcolm ofThe Guardian was less welcoming, saying that "Scrooge's nightmare is rendered silly and so his turning from swine to saint hasn't the required kick. Not only that, but the jokes are thin on the ground, as if only a certain amount of piss-taking was thought appropriate."[31]
The film has grown in critical acclaim over the years, and was declared "the greatest Christmas film ever made" as well as "among the most glorious of all Dickens adaptations" byThe Guardian in 2023.[32] Anthony McGlynn ofScreen Rant similarly calledThe Muppet Christmas Carol "a work of genius on every level" and "the greatest Christmas movie ever made", praising the original songs that were written for the film and Michael Caine's performance as Scrooge.[33] Robert Keeling ofDen of Geek praised Caine's performance, the adaptation's use of Gonzo and Rizzo, as well as the various musical songs.[34] It is often ranked among the best Christmas films.[35][36][37]
This is the firstMuppet film co-produced and released by Walt Disney Pictures—and the rights to the Muppets featured in the film would later be purchased by thestudio's parent company. In addition to theatrical releases, the film has also been made available on home video formats. It was first released on VHS in the United States on November 5, 1993, in the United Kingdom on November 15 that year, and later on DVD in both countries. The first US DVD release was on October 8, 2002, in a full-screen-only format.Walt Disney Home Entertainment released the film in the US on DVD on November 29, 2005, in conjunction with Kermit the Frog's 50th anniversary celebration; this time the DVD contained both full-screen and widescreen presentations. The UK has also had similar DVD releases.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released a 20th anniversary collector's edition onBlu-ray, DVD, anddigital copy on November 6, 2012.[38] The release does not include the film's extended cut. However, the song "When Love Is Gone" and its accompanying scene can be viewed in its entirety on the full-screen version of the anniversary edition ofThe Muppet Christmas Carol, though it is cut in the widescreen format.[39][40]
On December 9, 2022,Disney+ released a 30th anniversary edition viastreaming media which includes the song "When Love Is Gone" as an option in its menu.[41]
A story album of the movie was nominated for aGrammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children in 1994.[42]
The film'soriginal score was composed byMiles Goodman with songs written byPaul Williams. Williams previously worked with the Muppets on the soundtrack toThe Muppet Movie (1979) in which he andKenneth Ascher were nominated for anAcademy Award for writing "Rainbow Connection". Goodman previously scored several films that were directed by Muppet performerFrank Oz.[43]
| The Muppet Christmas Carol: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | November 10, 1992 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Soundtrack | |||
| Label | Jim Henson | |||
| The Muppets chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [44] |
The Muppet Christmas Carol: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack contains all of the songs from the film, which were written byPaul Williams, as well as several cues from the score byMiles Goodman. However, most of them are different arrangements than as they are featured in the film. The performances are by the Muppet characters as well as Caine, and the album also includes the songs "Room in Your Heart" and "Chairman of the Board" that were recorded but never filmed. As with all preceding Muppet films,The Muppet Christmas Carol was shot as amusical. The soundtrack album peaked at number 189 on theBillboard 200 chart. The soundtrack was re-released on digital byWalt Disney Records on November 6, 2012.
All tracks are written byPaul Williams (songs) andMiles Goodman (score), except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Overture" | 2:29 | ||
| 2. | "Scrooge" | The Muppet Cast | 2:27 | |
| 3. | "Room in Your Heart" (deleted song) | Dr. Bunsen Honeydew andBeaker | 1:49 | |
| 4. | "Good King Wenceslas" | Traditional | The Muppet Brass Buskers | 1:05 |
| 5. | "One More Sleep 'Til Christmas" | Kermit | 2:50 | |
| 6. | "Marley and Marley" | Statler and Waldorf | 3:13 | |
| 7. | "Christmas Past" | 1:09 | ||
| 8. | "Chairman of the Board" (deleted song) | Sam Eagle | 1:50 | |
| 9. | "Fozziwig's Party" | Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem | 2:22 | |
| 10. | "When Love Is Gone" | Meredith Braun | 3:38 | |
| 11. | "It Feels Like Christmas" | Ghost of Christmas Present | 2:42 | |
| 12. | "Christmas Scat" | Robin and Kermit | 0:23 | |
| 13. | "Bless Us All" | Robin and family | 2:50 | |
| 14. | "Christmas Future" | 1:46 | ||
| 15. | "Christmas Morning" | 0:57 | ||
| 16. | "Thankful Heart" | Michael Caine and the Cast | 2:16 | |
| 17. | "Finale — When Love Is Found/It Feels Like Christmas" | Ghost of Christmas Present, Caine, the Muppet Cast, Robin | 4:01 | |
| 18. | "When Love Is Gone" (Pop Version) | Martina McBride | 3:48 | |
| Total length: | 41:41 | |||
"When Love Is Gone" is a song sung by the character Belle (portrayed byMeredith Braun) as she laments that Scrooge's love of money has replaced his love of her. The song itself was cut from the original 1992 American theatrical edition of the film byJeffrey Katzenberg, the then-chairman ofWalt Disney Studios, who argued that the song would not appeal to young viewers. Instead, the song was played during the film's end credits scene.[45] Brian Henson objected to this decision as the concluding song, "When Love Is Found", was a direct counterpoint to it.[13]
Henson commented:"'When Love Is Gone' was not in the theatrical release, and is presently missing from some copies of the movie, which is a real shame." The song titled "When Love Is Gone" is only included on some home media releases ofThe Muppet Christmas Carol which are now out of print. The song is included on all of the 1993VHS andLaserDisc releases of the film,[8] as well as at least one UK VHS release. The LaserDisc version includes the only widescreen presentation of this song ever released.[46]
The 2002 and 2005DVD releases of the movie retain the song in the 90-minutefull-screen version of the film, but not in the 86-minute widescreen version on the same disc. A 2012 standalone DVD release of the film uses the same disc from the 2005 release, so it also contains the song. However, a different DVD was used for the 2012 Blu-ray combo pack which does not contain the song. The digital download release of the film contains the entire "When Love Is Gone" as a bonus feature, in widescreen and in high definition.
In a 2018 interview withThe Big Issue, Henson said he believed that the song was "unlikely" to appear in any further releases of the film, because Disney had reportedly lost the original video master andfilm negative.[47] In 2019, Robert Keeling ofDen of Geek felt it an "excellent choice" for the song to be omitted, feeling it to be "thoroughly depressing and out of place".[34] However, on December 9, 2020, Henson confirmed toBBC Radio 2 that the original film negative featuring the entire footage of the song had been found by Disney archivists and would be included in all future4K releases. Due to time constraints, Disney+ was unable to include the new full version on its Christmas 2020 streaming release of the film.[48] At the 2022D23 Expo in September, Henson stated the version of the film with the song restored would be available on Disney+ later that year.[49] The streaming service released the full-length version as an option in the film's "extras" section on December 9, 2022.[50]
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